POSING for the camera in a jail cell packed with goodies, this is Liam Ryan – currently serving life for the murder of a Birmingham dad-of-four.

POSING for the camera in a jail cell packed with goodies, this is Liam Ryan – currently serving life for the murder of a Birmingham dad-of-four.

In a series of secretly taken shots, the 19-year-old was photographed making a ‘gangster salute’ – pointing his fingers to the camera in the shape of a gun – and also making ‘V’ signs.

Further sickening images show a TV, Playstation games console and stereo inside his cell and a shelf packed with crisps, Pot Noodles, cordial drinks and fruit juice.

Another shelf was full of rows of toiletries.

It is understood the images were taken inside a cell at a young offenders’ institute where Ryan has been since he was remanded after being charged with the murderof 48-year-old shopkeeper Suppiah Tharmaseelan.

The brave father-of-four was stabbed to death after trying to defend his Kingstanding store from four hooded thugs during a botched raid in November 2010.

He was found dying by his children, who were in a flat above the shop in College Road as the late-night tragedy – which was captured on CCTV – unfolded.

Ryan, of Gretton Road, Erdington, was last month jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years after being convicted of murdering Mr Tharmaseelan.

It is not clear whether the images were taken before or after Ryan was jailed.

They were handed to the Birmingham Mail by a source who claimed that they were part of an album titled ‘Mobile Uploads’ and posted onto social networking site Facebook from behind bars.

Access to Ryan’s website profile is currently restricted to just online friends.

However, the source said: “We cannot understand how they were taken inside a prison cell.

“The pics clearly show the convicted killer posing and smiling. I am sickened at this completely brazen showing of not having a care for the actions convicted of.”

The Ministry of Justice says prisoners should not have access to mobile phones or computers to update online profiles.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Prisoners have no access to the internet and are barred from updating their Facebook accounts while serving their sentence, or asking others to do so from outside prison. If they do, their accounts will be terminated.

“If a prisoner is found in illicit possession of a mobile phone or other contraband they will be dealt with appropriately by the prison.”

Ryan was one of four men convicted of killing Mr Tharmaseelan during a brutal robbery after an afternoon boozing in an Erdington pub. The victim’s four children, aged between four and 14 at the time of the murder, watched on CCTV as their father was stabbed as he tried to fight off the attackers.

During the trial, Birmingham Crown Court was told that Ryan armed himself with a broomstick and chased the injured victim into a backyard AFTER he had already been fatally stabbed.

The four men were jailed for a total of 92 years between them.

Detective Chief Inspector Sab Johal, who led the investigation for West Midlands Police, said: “The jail terms reflect the brutality used by the group in their attack.”